1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a marking device and more particularly to a marking device adapted to mark tires. Specifically, the instant invention relates to a tire marking device used in conjunction with a tire inspection machine in order to allow the tire to be marked at the location of irregularities detected by the tire inspection means. The instant invention employs means for receiving a signal indicative of the location of an irregularity in the tire being inspected and subsequently causing a paint to be applied to the tire in proximity to the irregularity detected by the tire inspection machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Means for marking tires are known in the art as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,878 to Landsness, et al which discloses an apparatus for making a mark on a rotating tire at the location corresponding to the place of maximum of the fundamental frequency of the radial force variation comprising an arcuately oscillable marker mounted on a shaft having an acuator operatively connected to the shaft for rotating the marker to contact the sidewall of the tire. Rollers contacting the sidewall of the tire support of the apparatus on the rotating tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,131 to Buser, et al relates to an apparatus for marking the location on a tire of the first harmonic. The apparatus employs a heated branding iron which is automatically dipped in wax and pressed against a tire at the location to be marked. The branding iron is moved to and from the tire by a pneumatic actuator cylinder, which in turn is controlled by an electronic control circuit which operates in response to force variation readings taken around the circumference of a tire by a conventional force variation measurement machine. The heated branding iron makes a permanent indentation on the tire and simultaneously deposits a wax ring around the indentation to make it more readily visible.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,716 to Monajjem relates to a marking device used to mark a rotating tire to indicate the location at which a given force variation is generated. As the tire is rotated against the load drum of a uniformity machine, the point on the tire at which this force variation is produced passes beneath the marker at which time a solenoid is activated to abruptly move the marker to mark the tire with a suitable marking fluid such as ink. The abrupt movement of the marker causes it to eject a small amount of marking fluid and to deposit the fluid on the tire sidewall. The marker solenoid is operated by a relay circuit activated by a signal from the tire uniformity machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,739 to Murata, et al relates to a marking device which comprises a rotary shaft, a first disc member securely mounted on the rotary shaft and carrying a marking means; a second disc freely rotatably mounted on the rotary shaft and adapted to be brought into pressing contact with a tire surface for rotation therewith, and a mechanism for transmitting rotatinal movement of the second disc member to the first disc member through the rotary shaft upon receipt of a signal from the measuring device for running the marking means at a speed same as the circumferential speed of the rotating tire. The apparatus further includes a means for holding the marking means in a standby position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,747 to Reed is directed to a tire marking device comprising a tubular housing carried by a rotatable shaft which receives a marking fluid that is dispensed at the lower end thereof by a spring-loaded ball that is depressed by contact with the tire sidewall. The shaft is rotated to move the ball into contact with the tire in response to the sensor sensing the radial first harmonic high point on the tire with rotation of the shaft being synchronized with movement of the tire so that the radial first harmonic high point of the tire corresponds with the point of contact with the ball with the tire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,018 to Christie is directed to a tire testing machine which measures lateral runout of the tire sidewalls. The resulting data is converted to digital form and analyzed by groups in order to increase the accuracy by which unacceptable sidewalls are detected. The device employs contact type sensors to sense variations in the sidewalls of the tire. The apparatus also provides means for marking the tire utilizing eight separate stamping plates supplied with ink and actuated by each solenoid which are capable of depressing individual plates into contact with the tire thereby providing a means for providing 28 different patterns of marks which can be placed on the tire.
It is common practice in the tire industry to inspect tire sidewalls especially mono-ply tire sidewalls for bulges and depressions. There is a general trend in the tire industry towards increased use of mono-ply tires for use in certain applications. However, due to the mono-ply construction of these tires, certain problems have arisen which evolve from irregularities in the ply splice at the sidewall of a mono-ply tire. If the splice is other than a flush butt fit, the sidewall at the splice may exhibit undesired characteristics. For example, if the splice is lapped, the sidewall becomes exceptionally strong at that point being effectively a double ply at the splice. When inflated the sidewall at the lap splice may not expand to the same degree as the sidewall as a whole, thus generating a deformation commonly referred to as a depression. While this depression is an indication of exceptional strength at that point of the sidewall, the presence of the depression is considered by the consuming public to be unsightly and thus undesirable. In the case of an open splice, the sidewalls may be weakened such that when inflated the weakened area at the splice will excessively expand to cause what is commonly referred to as a bulge. Such a bulge may be an indication of a weakened area in the sidewall and may also be considered unsightly if excessive. Bulges may also be created by a reduced cord count in a localized area.
It is a common practice in the tire industry to reinspect tires with bulges and/or depressions for structural integrity and appearance. The reinspection of both tire sidewalls in their entirety is required if the location of the bulges and/or depressions are not known.
There is, therefore, a need for an apparatus which is adapted to mark the actual locations of the bulges and/or depressions located in the sidewalls of the tires which apparatus is suitable for use in conjunction with tire production machinery wherein the apparatus is not required to contact the tire during the detection or marking of such tire and that such detection and marking may be accomplished in a relatively short time period. The instant invention provides such an apparatus for the precise marking of tire sidewalls using an apparatus suitable for tire production machinery.